Integrated Silicon Photonics OFDR System for High-Resolution Distributed Measurements Based on Rayleigh Backscattering

Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) has high spatial resolution and measurement accuracy, driving its popularity in various fields. Integration of OFDR technology has made it accessible, cost-effective and deployable in many applications, including battery management and photonic integrated circuits. An integrated OFDR system based on Rayleigh backscattering and silicon photonics technology on an SOI platform has been developed for the first time. The system's simplified configuration was simulated, fabricated and characterized in detail, achieving an experimental spatial resolution of 8.28 μm, matching the theoretical level. This system shows high potential for sensing, monitoring and detection where precise spatial information is crucial. OFDR's accessibility and high performance in distributed measurements make it a promising technology for future advancements.